White Flag
by Makemegray
Summary: There are no coincidences. Only inevitable conclusions to the actions taken by ourselves and others. Usagi's choices result in drastic changes in the futures of all those she holds dear.
1. Stoned

White Flag: A Bishoujou Senshi Sailor Moon Fanfiction...

Chapter One

(BSSM does not belong to me)

Rei was fairly certain that she done something horribly wrong in a past life that put her permanently on the fate's shitlist.

It was the only possible explaination for the situation that she was currently in.

As she listened to Usagi rattle on about the current dire situation she tried to calculate the number of babies she would have had to have beheaded and desecrated in order to earn her current fate.

She had met the other woman at a cafe in Ikebakuro after a desperate call was placed to her cell phone. Usagi was frantic about something and even before sitting down and hearing what exactly it was, Rei had gotten the distinct feeling that she wouldn't like it.

"-her. Rei! Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?!"

She wasn't, she hardly ever did, but she figured that it wouldn't be wise to let her future queen know that.

"Hai. I don't, however, agree with the concensus that you and Setsuna seemed to have come to. First of all is the fact that I am, as far as I know, not a lesbian and neither is Minako for that matter."

"That doesn't matter!!"

Rei thought it mattered very much but again, she had learned, through age and experience and knowing the Odango-oh before her for over 12 years that any arguments she may have to the matter at hand, it wouldn't matter at all in the end as the Queen usually seemed to ignore the opinons of her court for those of her consort.

This situation didn't seem to be any different.

"It does matter, Usagi. Theres no plausible way that could happen given the fact that Minako and I are by no means attracted to one another, despite what Seiya may have told you. And I refuse to believe that Setsuna would consent to such a plan. Especially since she knows exactly what will happen in the end regardless of whether any of us like it or not. You may think that this is a good idea, pairing everybody away and whatnot but just because 98 of the senshi happen to be gay or otherwise not entirely straight doesn't mean that all of us are. Minako is engaged to a guy remember?"

Just because it was futile didn't mean that she didn't try occasionally...

"Setsuna confirmed Seiya's theory!! Because I left Mamoru then the entire course of the future has been changed!!"

"And how exactly did she come to the conclusion that Minako and I would be a couple in the future?"

"Because Kakyuu-san said to give her apologies that she wouldn't be able to make it to your wedding! And everyone knows that Kakyuu-san is more than a little bit psychic!!"

Rei refused to argue anymore at this point. She rubbed her eyes in exhasperation and wondered, once again, the fates seemed to have it out for her. She couldn't remember her life as the Princess of Mars further than the destruction of the planet but she was almost positive that she had condoned the sacking of several villages and slavery of it's citizens or something equally horrible.

"Rei, I know this must be hard for you to except but it's the truth. The fact that I deviated from the original plan has changed everything. I apologise that it will effect you in a way that you are unprepaired for but it will happen and there is nothing that any of us can do to change it at the moment."

Rei looked up to Usagi in shock. It was moments like this, randomized and unpredictable moments, that the ditzy blond whos ass she had rescued numerous times before seemed to be possesed by someone far more regal and who seemed to radiate with royal power and baring. It was these random surfacings of the Neo-Queen that had kept Rei loyal all these years. That somehow the blond moments would eventually be the ones to sporadically take place and that ultimatley the blond ones would disappear completly.

It was that Usagi that Rei would die for.

Her Queen. Not the vessal that her Queen was currently occupying.

While she possesed and recognized a certain fondness for the vessal, Rei had figured out her true feelings long ago. Because she was ultimatly a warrior and had a warriors spirit and upbringing programed into her psyche, she was loyal to those that led her and to no one else, not even friends or lovers.

"Selenity-sama...I will accept this if it's what you truly believe but I must express a certain amount of skepticsm over the whole matter. The situation with Ami and Minako was a coincidence and nothing more." Usagi, no...she wasn't Usagi at the moment. Selenity smiled gently.

"There are no coincidences _Kasei-hime_. There is only **Hitsuzen**. Destiny, fate and inevitability. They modifiable but inescapable." Rei gritted her teeth, knowing that what her Queen had said was true.

That didn't mean she had to accept it, however...

She stood up abruptly and pushed her chair back loudly.

Turning back to the blond, she saw color flood the previously silver orbs that usually marked to presence of Selenity.

Usagi was back and obviously confused.

Not that that was something unusual and therefor call for alarm.

"Rei-chan? Where are you going? You're not mad are you? I'm sorry that I sorta screwed things up for everyone but I really-"

"Just shut up, Odango-atama."

Rei refused to listen to anymore sputtering apologies and marched out of the cafe in order to prove her point.

* * *

In Shibuya, Minako's reaction upon hearing the news that Rei had just heard was simply to raise a finely arched eyebrow and press the back of her hand to Setsuna's forehead, earning a slap on it for her efforts.

"I was only trying to see if you were sick and hallucinating or something. I figured it was either that or you were just screwing with me. So since you're not sick then wheres the camera crew?"

Setsuna frowned and reigned in her valuted willpower to deal with the second most annoying blond in existance.

She hated dealing with the Inner Court but knew that it was necessary. While the latter three tended to annoy her leages less than it's commander and general, she still avoided interacting with them at every possible turn.

"I'm not hallucinating or trying to prank you. Because Usagi-san defied her destiny, it has been rewritten and the fates of everyone closely connected to her have changed as well. It fortunatly doesn't extend to the Outer Court because we have purposly distanced ourselves from her for exactly this reason. Originally, you and the rest of the inner court were to be paired up with the Shittenou, as forces beyond your control forced the two groups to spend more and more time together. This was layed out by the fact that Selena-hime and Mamoru-oji were a couple in the past. Before the Shittenou were taken over by Metallia, they and the inner court senshi paired off. As Usagi has left Mamoru for greener and decidedly more female pastures, you four will follow her and turn to each other. It's the only possible outcome for the situation which your Queen has created. If you're asking if anyone is sick then it should be her you ask." Minako seemed to digest and accept this information, which Setsuna saw as a major miracle that should be reported 'round the Allied Galaxies.

"...Is there anything that we can do to change this?"

"Not a thing, Even getting Usagi back with Mamoru would alter the course of time in some inexplicable way. Theres no way to tell what could happen. You're basically stuck."

Minako frowned and vaguely reminded Setsuna of a consitpated baby.

Her expression cleared after exactly five minutes (Setsuna could tell time to the second), and she sighed.

"Then I suppose I'll have to borrow some of Makoto's yuri manga."

Setsuna blinked.

"That's it? You're not going to try and argue anymore?"

"What difference would it make? You said there was nothing we could do about it so I've resigned myself to it and decided that if I'm do it then I'd better be able to do it well."

Setsuna stared openly.

The logic of blondes truly astounded her...


	2. Fate

**White Flag:Chapter Two**

"...You have no problem with this...?"

"Not really," A blond head tilted to the side "Should I?"

"What the hell do you mean?! Of course you should! You're getting married in two weeks!" Rei shouted, slamming her hands down on the kotatsu between them. She'd called Minako over to discuss their current...predicament and was getting more and more frustrated by the moment by the fact that the blonde wan't taking the situation half as seriously as she was.

A finely manicured hand came up to support the blond head and a labored sigh escaped the pouting lips.

"Not really. It's more of a publicity stunt than anything. Shoji's gay, you know? I'm...what do they call it?...His 'beard'?"

"..." There was really nothing Rei could think of counter that statement as she willed her blood pressure to drop back down to healthy levels.

She couldn't't seem to fathom why Minako wans't more upset about this situation. Why she didn't seem to mind that her sexuality was basically being determined by someone elses. Why she wasn't the least bit perturbed by the fact that she was, in effect, doomed to spend the rest of her immortal life with someone who was none pleased about spending theirs with her.

Honestly, it wasn't as if Rei didn't love Minako. She did, the same way she did the rest of the Guardian senshi and even (begrudgingly) Usagi. Like her sisters and very best friends, probably Minako more than the rest, but the fact remained that she didn't see her as a lover. And never would, despite the cryptic predictions of Kakyuu-oh.

"-mind...Rei-chan? Are you listening to me?" She hadn't been and really saw no reason to lie about it.

"I'm sorry, no. I was too busy contemplating if an insanity plea would get me a reduced sentence when I decide to kill Odango-atama." Minako raised an eyebrow at the statement.

"...Is this really bothering you that much? Theres nothing you can do about it but accept it, you know? I've already made peace with it and I called off the wedding this afternoon. My publicist had a stroke about it but I told him there was nothing I could do. What is it that you always say? It's Hitsuzen? Inevitablity? It is, isn't it? Kakyuu-oh-sama said so."

Rei could feel the vein in her forehead throbbing at that statement and folded her arms petulantly.

"I know that, but doesn't it bother you that we had no say in the matter whatsoever?"

"A little I suppose, but I've gotten over it. After all, it's not like this is the first time something that Usagi-chan has done has affected us like this. You remember when she first hooked up with Endymion? Naturally, we were expected to do the same with the shittenou." They both shared a disgusted shiver at that thought, "We're like extensions of her power, our lives would be non-existent if it weren't for her, it's only natural that we owe her our destinies as well, isn't it? That their linked so intimately with her own?"

Rei couldn't help but stare incredulously at the other senshi, couldn't help but be appalled by her apparent satisfaction with the current turn of events.

She stood up from the tatami and moved into the kitchen, she was definitely going to need something stronger than tea if she was going to continue this conversation...

Minako sighed and leaned back on her hands. It was moments like these that she was curious as to why she was in love with Rei in the first place. Obviously, the other girl didn't feel the same but still and was totally oblivious as to the way Minako truly felt.

The answer had been waving it's dirty underware in the wind for years, really.

The serial dating should have been the first clue that Minako wasn't exactly as straight as she let on.

And now...

Honestly, she's just admitted that she had been willing to marry a gay guy for the security of his career and keeping him in the closet. Why she bother to do something like that if she didn't have just as much to hide?

Honestly...

Rei came back into the living room with a bottle of sake and slid a cup over to Minako before dealing out healthy servings to both of them.

Tossing hers back like a veteran alcoholic, she poured another cup which she nursed considerably more slowly.

She raised an eyebrow as Minako just continued to stare at the ceiling, her sake not touched.

"This really doesn't bother you at all, does it?"

"...Not really...Does the thought disgust you so totally that you have to get drunk?"

"...I would say...It unsettles me so much that I have to get drunk. One would think that you would be in a similar position." As a familiar feeling of utter hopelessness washed over the blood, she sighed and sat up, snatching up the sake.

"...I don't think unsettled is the right word either..."

* * *

"So you talked to her about it?"

"mphf"

"And she was so upset about it that she started drinking?"

"mphf."

"But Rei doesn't drink."

"..."

Ami and Makoto exchanged worried looks over their friends head, which was currently submerged in the pillows of their bed.

"Mina-chan, I'm sure she was just upset that she didn't have a choice. You know who independent she is. Having something like this chosen for her would obviously upset her alot. You remember how she was always really depressed at being a senshi in the first place. At having her destiny chosen for her before she had a chance to do it herself?" Ami ventured, in a vague attempt to pry her friend out. She knew it was pretty much futile when Minako got pouty like this but well...she was tired and it was three in the morning and she'd just come off a 24-hour shift at the hospital and she wanted to do nothing more than curl up in bed with her wife and sleep for the next years and the presence of their blond friend was throwing serious wrenches in that. She knew it would be rude to throw her friend out at was obviously a critical time for her so...here they were.

"Does she remember anything about the past? I mean about..." Makoto let the sentence trail off, knowing that her meaning would be clear even if she didn't finish the statement.

"I tried to bring that up but she cut me off. She refused to hear anything I had to say on the subject." Minko sat up and growled rather uncharacteristically, punching one of the pillows she had been laying with a snarl. "She's just so damn stubborn! Why can't she ever consider things that might be beyond her original sphere of thought?! It's so damned annoying! Like when she refused to speak to you guys after you got together, like just because it hadn't been in the future that she forsaw then it couldn't be possible. Like there was no way anything could change without her knowing. How can someone just reject reality like that?! Is she insane?!"

Ami and Makoto exchanged a significant look and avoided the pillows that were thrown at their heads.

"Can you really blame her? I mean, all this time, she thought she was going to end up with some guy. As long as Usagi was going to end up with Endymion, we supposed to end up with the Shittenou. I suppose that she had prepared herself for that fate and because it's not going to happen anymore she's now very confused." Makoto surmised, a finger to her chin in speculation.

"And you know that one of the things that Rei hates the most is being confused. About anything. Do you remember that she wanted to use Akaryuu Taisen on her computer professor because she couldn't understand how to format an excel spreadsheet? Mako had to drag her out of the classroom midchant."

The trip down memory lane did nothing to sooth Minako's frustration at the situation and she expressed this with another particularly toothy snarl.

"Well...Look at it this way: Now that she accepts that this is fate, it'l be just as hard to get her to let go of it if Odango-oh does something else to mess with it. And if she somehow gets over her stubborn anal-retentive shit, and actually manages to fall in love with you just as much as you have her, then theres noting, not even fate that Will stop her from being with you."

The statement from the brunette thankfully did the trick and Minako stopped her impressive imitation of a feral cat.

It was true, once Minako could convince Rei to accept her as a partner and could get the warrior to fall for her then...

Everything sounded so simple put that way...

Firm in her new resolution, that she would defiantly change Rei's mind about being with her, she muttered words of gratitude to her two friends and beat a hasty retreat, none to soon for their liking.

Of course, planning to have a plan was the simple part. The actual logistics of her plan were what Minako knew were going to keep her up for nights at a time while she figured it out.

Thank the gods that she had a friend who owned a coffee shop...

* * *

Author's note: wipes forehead Okay, so I was starting to feel really guilty that I hadn't updated this one in a while so...here you go...I know I keep saying this, but I feel that as an author, it's my obligation to keep my fans reading new material so...I'm going to **try **and upload a chapter a weekend to my stories. All of them. It may not happen but I make the promise to try which is as good as I can do at this point. It may not happen for a few weeks as finals are coming up, but like I said. I'll try. 


	3. Life for Rent

_**White Flag: **Chapter Three_: Life for Rent

Obviously, the first step would be to get Rei to admit that the idea of being with her wasn't such a god awful one.

It would probably involve a little alcohol, the right circumstances, no witnesses and a whole hell of alot of creativity on Minako's part.

Aino Minako had alot of things in abundance, beauty, talent, power. One thing she did not posses, was an abundance of cunning creativity.

For that she knew without a question, that she would have to go to the masters.

A tan eyebrow rose almost exactly in-sync with an aqua-colored one.

"Uh-huh...So...You want us to help you trap Rei-chin into admitting that she isn't totally adverse to the idea of you two maybe possibly getting together?"

"Exactly!" Minako confirmed exitedly, glad she wouldn't have to explain again.

"And you want us to help you manipulate her into saying it, even if she doesn't mean it?" Michiru asked, tilting her head to the side questioningly.

"Er...Preferably I'd like her to mean it as well, actually."

"Uh-huh..." Haruka mumbled, scratching her head terribly confused as to why Minako would be comming to them with a problem like this.

It was strange...It was almost as she considered Michiru and herself her...friends...(?!)

When presented with this opinion, Minako snorted elegantly and waved her hand dismissivly, stating "Of course they were friends. If they weren't the guardian senshi would have tried to eliminate them immeadiatly."

When presented with the impossibility of said feat, she'd snorted again and said cryptically "There's no such thing as impossibility. Only realities that take a little while longer to achieve than most." And refused to comment further.

Haruka, therefore, had felt an overwhelming urgency to get the Kinsei no senshi out of their house as soon as possible, even if that meant that listening to whatever inane drivel she wanted to spout before doing so.

The eerie golden gleam in those sky blue eyes across the kotatsu from her, only supported her sudden urge tenfold.

"So why come to us with this anyway? Why not go to Makoto or Ami?" Michiru wondered, narrowing her eyes after the vague threat. Impossible or not...

"Because they have this problem. It's like anything you tell them is automatically common knowledge for everyone we've ever known. Past and present lives. It's like they have some form of telepathy where anything that's supposed to be a secret or something that certain other people aren't supposed to know, is automatically transmitted into the brains of the whole world."

"You mean they can't keep their mouths shut." Haruka deduced.

"Precisely."

"And how do you know that we can?" The other of the pair asked. Taking turns in the manner that they were now, tended to make other people uncomfortable. Almost as much as when they finished each other's sentances or when they talked in unison. Naturally, they did it every chance they got.

"Because you don't like Rei very much. You know that doing this will be an indirect way to screw with her and you that by telling her before hand all of the rage will be delt with privately, so you won't be able to bear witness. If you help me go through with this, you get to see Rei embarrass herself when she admits it, and if the plan goes awry, you get to tell her it was all my idea, get to see her rage at me and get to see me made a fool of. Since I know you don't like me very much either, whether the plan fails or suceeds, you still get the pleasure of knowing that you were partially involved and get to see at least one of us humiliated. Which is all it really boils down to in the end anyway."

The two outer senshi exchanged a long-look, having a convorsation with each other via the expressions on their faces, that was over in seconds. Obviously they had come to some sort of quick consensus.

"Okay," Haruka began, folding her hands on the table and leveling a glare at Minako. "Say we help you out with this. Aside from our amusement, what else do we get out of this?"

Minako smiled widely and spread her hands out in front of her, like she was offering them some invaluable treasure.

"If this paln succeeds, then the next time that you submit a suggestion for a battle tactic, then I'll actually think about it carefully instead of rejecting it immeadiatly out of spite."

"You don't even-!"

"Calm down, Haruka." Michiru, admonished, pulling her partner back down to the floor where she'd risen to beat Minako to a pulp after the comment. "And if it fails?"

"You get nothing!" Minako answered just as cheerfully as she had the last question. As if they were discussing what shade of blue the sky was.

"You hae to give us more incentive than that, come on, Aino. You're not as stupid as you look, you know what we want." Michiru snarled, uncharacteristically angry. She couldn't believe the nerve that Minako had to so dammed arrogant and condescending when she had come to ask them a favor, and in their own house!

Minako thought about it for a moment, putting a pink fingernail to her chin and tapping, making theatrical 'hmm'-ing noises.

"Okay, how about this: Not only do you guys help me to open Rei up to the idea. You get her to accept it, like it, and actually reciprocate!"

Haruka wasn't quite sure but she had the distinct feeling that her jaw had dropped somewhere to about knee level after this newest suggestion.

"And how exactly do you expect us to do that? The Outer senshi may be powerful but we aren't all-powerful. We aren't dieties that can make mortals feel whatever we want. If she doesn't recipricate then how exactly do you intend us to make her? That's ludicrous!" Stated the coherant of the pair who had a far quicker recovery time and was much more pissed off. Michiru folded her arms now and sent death glares across the table at Minako.

The Kinsei-hime simply smiled at them again. Widely and toothily, flashing the million-watt smile that had landed her her first interview with a record producer.

"...If you help me, every step of the way, and don't turn around until Rei is mine. For good..." She paused for dramatic effect and sucked in a tense breath. "I will renounce my claim as general of the senshi. I'll conceed the next time one of you one of you decides you want to petition for me to step down."

Michiru and Haruka stared at her in open shock for a few crucial moments before Haruka recovered and cleared her throat.

"Why would you do that? You've been elected as the leader by Serenity-oh-sama in every incarnation. Why now would you give that up? Are you really willing to sacrifice something you've worked for for over 10,000 years in order to be with some girl?"

Minako tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Wouldn't you? What would you give up if I were offering you the opportunity to be with Kaioh-san?"

Haruka flushed and fell silent, mumbling something incoherent that had Minako chuckling in response.

"…What do you want us to do?" Michiru asked, her eyebrow raised suspiciously, her eyes never leaving Haruka's averted eyes.

"Well, the first step would be to plant the seeds. If they take root, we'll go from there!"

"What are you plotting? Are you going to hold me for ransom or something? If that's the case then don't think I'll hesitate to burn you. I've got a far better handle on my power than I did the last time we fought. You won't have such an easy go of it this time." Haruka nearly choked on her milkshake at the statement and turned to stare indredulously at Rei who was glaring her ice cream cone into non-existance.

"Ransom? Why on earth would I do that?"

"I don't know. In some attempt to usurp the four of us or something. I figure you'd match with me because our powers don't complement. It's a less interesting but more intense fight that way. Michiru would take on Ami because they would both be forced to devise a way around each other's power which is practically the same. Hotaru would take on Minako because they're the most powerful of the different factions. And Setsuna would take Mako because there was no one else left."

"…Exactly how many times have you thought about fighting us…? Aren't we supposed to be allies?"

Rei snorted and licked the edge of the cone.

"Which is why you tried to kill us the first time we met. We haven't forgotten that. Or the fact that you and Michiru are usually the first to jump ship on us when push comes to shove. I'm not mistaken at all in your feelings regarding the guardian senshi. If you had your way we would be dead, let alone Odango-atama. "

"…I have a feeling that you've greatly underestimated our loyalty to the Lunar Monarchy."

There was that snort again and Haruka was really beginging to wonder if helming the senshi was really even worth dealing with the senshi of Sarcasm one moment longer.

"That's not why I asked you to meet me here, in any event. I'm not here to pick a fight with you, I need your help."

"My help?" Rei asked, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

Haruka sighed labouredly and set her cup down on the sidewalk in front of the bench they had been sitting on.

"More like...I've been asked by something for help and I have no idea how to go about it. I figured you'd be the best person to go to for this sort of thing given your relationship with this person."

"My relationship?" Rei parroted again, hoping that her tone expressed her utter cluelessness about the situation.

"Yes, I want to get your advice on how best to help this person."

Rei raised an eyebrown over the top her of her cone as she took another bite, using the time that her bought of brain-freeze granted her to run throught any possible catches in the convorsation up until this point.

"First of all, who might this person be and why in the world would they come to you for help?"

Haruka could feel her irritation beginning to manifest in a serious tick at her eyebrow but chose to ignore it as she answered the first part of the question.

"Minako. She came to Michiru and I, requesting that we help her get you to go along with this 'fated to be together' thing."

Rei, speechless, distantly noted that she'd lost control of her left hand in shock and had accidently relaxed it. The inevitable conclusion being that she now had chocolate ice cream on the asphalt immeadiatly surrounding her feet and spattered all over her shoes and jeans.

"S-she did what?" There was something about the calm decibles in which the statement was uttered, aside from the stuttering, that unconciously had Haruka scooted to the farthest edges of the bench after it was uttered.

"She wants us to help her convince you to go out with her." Haurka said simply, reaching down to wipe ice cream off her own shoes.

"B-But why?!"

"How should I know? Maybe she thinks it's a good idea. Maybe she doesn't want to fight fate or something, I don't know. Goddamn it, Kasei, these are new shoes!!"

It was at this point that Rei could clearly say for the first time in her life, she was absolutley speechless.

Haruka sighed and stood up, still mumbling about her shoes before turning back to Rei and raising an eyebrow at the stunned senshi on the bench, smirking briefly before buring the expression in a scowl as Rei looked up.

"If I were you, I would go talk to Minako. She's the only one who can answer your questions."

"...Uh...hai..."

* * *

Author's Note::bows so very deeply:: I am sooooooooo sorry about being late in updating this! I have, quite literally written myself into a corner and I just figured out a way out of it. No worries, I'll start getting back into the swing of things. 


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